Born on August 1, 1986, in Croix-des-Bouquets, a commune located north of Haiti’s capital, and raised in an evangelical family, John Bern Thomas began his musical journey at the age of 12 by accompanying his father’s group, “La Voix Mystérieuse.” In less than ten years, he became one of the most sought-after drummers of his generation, performing on major local stages such as Le Villate, Quartier Latin, Café 36, Jazzy’s, Vivano (Coin des artistes), FOKAL, and the Institut Français d’Haïti (IFH).

In September 2012, Johnbern Thomas represented Haiti in the United States as part of the cultural exchange program “OneBeat,” organized by the U.S. Department of State. This experience allowed him to connect with several talented American musicians, including Dafnis Prieto, Dave Douglas, Gregg August, and Mark Stewart, among others.

John Bern Thomas is undoubtedly an outstanding drummer—a musician who has proven himself and continues to contribute significantly to the evolution and promotion of jazz. He co-initiated the event “Les Lundis du Jazz” in Haiti with French guitarist Alex Jacquemin, which was later renamed “Les Jeudis du Jazz” in 2019. These events, held at venues such as Backyard, Habitation Turpin, Presse Café, and Coin des artistes (Vivano), brought together a wide range of musicians and provided a platform for both emerging and established artists to express themselves, exchange ideas, and engage in musical dialogue. Many young musicians benefited from this initiative and later formed a new generation of instrumentalists.

He has been deeply involved in organizing and producing jazz events in Haiti, aiming to create opportunities for young talents and promote “Kreyòl jazz,” a genre he actively champions through workshops, concerts, and various musical activities.

His participation in numerous cultural and artistic events, including jazz festivals in Martinique, the United States, Vietnam, Suriname, Europe, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, has earned him widespread recognition and appreciation.

He is also a co-founder of the platform “Haïti Jazz Promo,” alongside Ralph Stéphane Momperousse, who serves as its coordinator. Through this initiative, several innovative events have been launched in Port-au-Prince, including “Experience Ayiti (XA),” which bridges local artists with members of the diaspora performing on major international stages. Between 2016 and 2018, the event featured renowned artists such as Sean Jones, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Aaron Goldberg, Mushy Widmaier, Etienne Charles, Godwin Louis, Mélanie Charles, Pauline Jean, Jean Caze, Rutshelle Guillaume, Harvel Nakundy, Jhony Keys, Myriam Léger, and Bennie Wallace.

Following the release of his debut album “Mèsi, Merci, Thank You, Gracias” in June 2017, Johnbern Thomas collaborated with numerous Haitian and internationally acclaimed jazz artists, including Beethova Obas, Réginald Policard, Bélo, Miguel Zenón, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Sean Jones, Aaron Goldberg, Bennie Wallace, Godwin Louis, Etienne Charles, Darren Barrett, Mike Del Ferro, Julie Michel, Don Braden, and Michael Benjamin, with whom he worked for ten years on various musical projects. As a musical director, he also collaborated with Lionel Benjamin on several events organized by the late Mikaben or his father, and co-produced Lionel’s latest album with Mikaben.

Since 2018, he has organized the “Cocktail Jazz Concert,” an annual December event designed to bring the jazz community together in celebration and gratitude during the holiday season. Now in its fifth edition, this concert was created to thank the public for its continued support of jazz musicians.

A family man who emigrated to the United States nearly two years ago, Johnbern Thomas is currently preparing the release of his second album. This upcoming project will reflect a more personal side of his life—his quiet strength, the difficult moments of isolation during the pandemic, and his inner struggles—while bringing together a remarkable group of high-caliber musicians.